Food

FDA Seeks Comments on IFT Report on Product Tracing Pilots

CFSAN Constituent Update

March 4, 2013

FDA is seeking public comment on a report from the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) entitled “Pilot Projects for Improving Product Tracing along the Food Supply System.” Section 204 of the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) requires FDA, among other things, to establish product tracing pilot projects. In September 2011, we asked IFT to carry out the pilot projects under an existing contract.

The pilot projects are designed to explore and demonstrate methods for rapid and effective tracking and tracing of food, including types of data that are useful for tracing, ways to connect the various points in the supply chain and how quickly data can be made available to FDA. In addition to providing the findings of the pilot projects, the report contains IFT’s recommendations to FDA for improving the tracking and tracing of food. We request information that may help us form our own recommendations. We will offer recommendations in our Report to Congress, which also is required by section 204 of FSMA.

FSMA also requires that we initiate rulemaking on recordkeeping requirements for high-risk foods to make tracing them easier. We will consider the comments received on the IFT report in implementing this FSMA provision.